Coupling pin



Sept. 27, 1949. G. HAGEN 2,482,907

COUPLING PIN Filed Sept. 16, 1947 /NVE/YTOR @LE/v HAGE/v ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 27, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COUPLING PIN Glen Hagen, Clintonville, Wis., assignor to Jack J. Schumacher, Shawano, Wis.

Application September 16, 1947, Serial No. '774,261

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in tendency to throw or work such standard pins out of coupling position. Coupling pins provided with locking devices have been designed with the View of eliminating this bad feature. However,

the structure of such locking pins is so complexy that they are too costly to manufacture in competition with the standard king pins.

It is the object of this invention, therefore, to provide a locking coupling pin of simple construction, which may be inexpensively manufactured and sold in competition with standard coupling pins.

This object is obtained by providing the pin with a light locking frame which is slidably mounted thereon. The locking frame has a pivoted locking arm provided with an openingl position. Both the frame and collar are readily f stamped from sheet Steel. The use of a solid headed pin eliminates expensive drilling and machining operations. To hold the collar in place it may have a press fit on the pin or may be welded thereto. to contracted position relative to the collar, thus freeing the locking arm from the pin end and permitting the locking arm to be swung' from alinement with the pin which may then be withdrawn from connecting position in the bars. The collar can be provided with an integral trigger or handle and by manually grasping the frame and the trigger the frame and pin can be readily moved to and held in the contracted position.

The novel features, which are considered characteristic of the invention, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of a specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vieW in side elevation of a commer- To unlock the pin the frame is moved (Cl. 28o-33.15)

cial form of a coupling pin embodying the presentv invention; l

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 with parts shown in full for the sake of illustration;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the coupling pin viewed in Fig. l showing in broken line the locking arm swung to unlocked position; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing by reference numerals, the pin I0 is shown inserted in the alined openings of a tractor coupling bar II and a trailer tongue or drawbar I2.y The pin I9-is preferably made of solid steel and has an upset4 head I3. The pin IIlVwhile of standard diameter is somewhat longer than standard coupling pins. However, there is no drilling or other machining performed on the pin; The unheaded end may be spherically shaped to facilitate entry.

The locking ofthe pin is accomplished by a locking frame indicated generally at I4 which is slidably mounted on the pin II) for relative movenient longitudinally thereof. The locking frame has an upper arm I5 provided with a swaged out portion I5 containing an opening or bearing which slidably receives the pin I0. arm I5 is connected by a bridge II, somewhat shorter than the length of the pin I0, to a lower arm I8. A locking arm or plate I9 is loosely swingably mounted by a rivet 29 to the lower arm I8. The locking plate I9 is provided with a swaged out portion 2| containing an opening for receiving the unheaded end of the pin I0. In the extended position, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the upper arm I5 is in abutment with the head I3 and if the locking arm I9 was then in locking position the unheaded end of the pin VIll would be held in the opening of the swaged out portion 2|. The locking frame I4 is normally urged to this extended position by a coiled compression spring 23 acting between the upper arm I5 and a collar 22 iixedly carried on the central portion of the pin I9. The collar 22 may be rigidly secured to the pin I0, after the frame I4 and the spring 23 have been assembled, by providing a press t therebetween or by welding the collar to the pin.

To unlock the pin I0 the frame I4 is moved relatively longitudinally toward the collar 22 to contracted position compressing the spring 23. Such movement withdraws the locking arm I9 from engagement with the pin. The locking arm I9, when thus disengaged, may then be swung about the rivet 20 to the position shown in theV The upper le u broken lines of Fig. 3. In such position, the frame and pin may be withdrawn from connecting position in the bars Il and l2. While the movement of the frame I4 to such contracted position may be accomplished by merely depressing the frame relative to the collar 22, such movement to contracted position cannot be readily accomplished Whenthe pin is not in connecting position, asv there is no drawbar l2 against which the collar 22 4can bear. It is therefore preferable, although not necessary, to provide the collar 22 with an integrally formed trigger or handle 24.

The handle 24 is substantially as long asl theupper arm l 5 and by manually graspingthe handle 24 and the upper arm l5 in the, hand, the spring 23 may be compressed and the frame I4 moved to its contracted position; It is'desirable to maintain the handle 2d in substantial. parallel relation with the upper arm l5. To accomplish this theA connecting bridge I- is provided with an outwardly fortifiedl channel 25 and the end of the handle 24 is providedwith a narrowed end 216. projecting. into and loosely sliding within the channel 25. It should be noted' that the frame |Allocking arm` i9and collar and trigger 22, 24, may al1, be readily stamped from sheet metal. During such stamping4 the swaged out portions with. their respective pin-receiving openings may be simultaneously formed. Because of thisY the coupling` pin. may. bev manufactured without expensive machining. operations and inexpensively assembled. The, coupling pin` can be held in one hand for inserting or withdrawing it, and it is only, necessary to use another hand` to swing the locking arm L9. from the locking position shown in. full, lines of Eig.4 3 to the unlocking position shown in broken line ofV that gure. Because of. these features the coupling pin may be sold in competition with the standard king pin which doesnot have a locking. feature.

Although only. one embodiment of the invention isshown. and described herein, it will be understoodv that this application is intended to cover. such changes or4 modications as come within the spiritof. theinvention or scope of the following. claims.

I.' claim;

L A lock equipped.y coupling, pin comprising a solidstraight-sided pin with. a head at one endv and anunheaded. end',.a collar spaced from said` head` and. xedly secured. to said. pin, that portion, of saidv pin between said collar and. said unheaded endbeing. insertible inthe alined' openings of bars to .be coupled,.a looking frame having an upper arm. extending, laterally of said pin, saidI armhavi'ng a bearing slidably mounted on said pin between said head and said collar, said frame having a bridge extending from said upper arm in substantial axial alinement with said pin, a locking arm pivotally mounted to said bridge to swing in a plane normal to the axis of said pin and having an opening adapted to receive the unheaded end of said pin when swung into axial alinement therewith whereby said portion may be retained in coupling position, and a coil compression spring. surroundingv saidv pin and reacting between said `collar and said upper arm tofresiliently urge said locking frame toward said head to maintain said locking arm opening in engagement with said pin.

2. Alock, equipped coupling pin comprising a solid straightesided pin with a head at one end and an unheaded end, a collar spaced from said headv andxedly secured to said pin, that portion of said pin between said collar and said unheaded end being insertible in the alined openings of bars to be` coupled, a locking frame having an upper arm extending laterally of saidpin, said arnr having a bearing slidably mountedV on said pin between said' head and said collar, said frame having a bridge extending from said upper arm in substantial axial alinement withsaid pin, a locking' arm pivotally mountedl tol said bridge to swing ina plane normal to the axisV of' saidl pin andhaving anA opening adaptedito receive'the unhead'ed end of said` pin' When swung into axial alinement therewith wherebysaid portion' may be retainedl in coupling position, and a coil compression spring surroundingl said' pin and reacting between said collar and said upperarm to resiliently urge said locking frame toward said head to maintain saidV locking arm opening in engagement with saidl pin, said collar having an integral laterallyv extending trigger forming a handle which may be manually grasped in connection with `saidv upper arm to assist in compressing said spring and move said locking frame toward the unhe'aded end of said pin to disengage-said' locking arm, saidtriggerY and said bridge` being slidably intertting to maintain said trigger-in' relative alinement with said upper arm.

GLEN HAGEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES- PATENTS Number Namev Date 1,974,966 McClure Sept. 25, 1934 2,140,132 Hollett Dec. 13, 1938 2,367,874u Kelley Jan. 23, 1945' 2,423,799 Shelstad July 8, 1947- 

